There are many conventional methods for updating software programs that execute on a general purpose computer such as a PC. More particularly, there are application programs and operating systems programs that include facilities for determining whether an update (e.g., a newer version) of the application or operating system program is available, downloading the update (e.g., over a communications network such as the Internet) and applying the update to the currently-installed program. For example, the Microsoft Windows XP operating system (available from Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Wash.) includes a feature referred to as “Windows Update” that allows a program executing in an Internet browser program to determine the particular Windows XP operating system components installed on a personal computer.
The program is loaded and executed in a browser program (e.g., a Microsoft Explorer browser program) when a particular Internet site is accessed and configuration information relating to the local PC's operating system is transmitted to an update server located on the Internet. If updates are available, a list of the available updates is returned to a user in the browser. These available updates reflect those updates that are applicable to the current PC's software configuration. The user is presented an option to apply one or more of the updates, and to launch the update process that installs the updated software on the PC. However, the update is limited to the PC upon which the browser program is operating, and the Windows Update program needs user-intervention to determine whether to apply the updates.
There are other systems for updating software. For instance, applications such as Microsoft Internet Explorer browser application periodically contact an update server to determine whether there is an update available. This contact can be performed automatically by selecting a configuration option in the Internet Explorer program, or by manually performing a search for updates at a designated web site. However, the actual update install involves the user selecting whether he/she would like to install the update and configuring various aspects relating to the update. In any event, the update needs user intervention similar to the Windows update program discussed above. There are many other application programs (e.g., the Real One media player program available from Real Networks, Inc., Seattle, Wash. and Microsoft Windows Media Player program) that include similar capabilities for checking for available software updates and updating the program.
There are other types of software tools that can be used by an administrator to distribute software to multiple PCs such as, for example, the Microsoft Systems Management Server software program available from the Microsoft Corporation. However, these tools also require some degree of training to set and require manual intervention, as the administrator must manually choose which software applications will be distributed to selected PCs.